Department of Health and Social Care

Aviation: Coronavirus

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing compulsory covid-19 pre-flight testing for international flights into the UK.

Maggie Throup: On 7 December, pre-departure testing was introduced for all arrivals into England aged over 12 years old, regardless of vaccination status.Early information suggests that the window between exposure to the virus and infection may be shorter for the Omicron variant. This may increase the efficacy of pre-departure testing as it is more likely to identify positive cases before travel.

Hospitals: Discharges

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to monthly NHS data on delayed transfers of care, what assessment he has made of whether delayed discharges are caused by (a) unavailability of domiciliary care, (b) unavailability of placements in care homes, (c) unavailability of a suitable placement in residential care for a person with specific needs or (d) lack of care staff capacity.

Gillian Keegan: The Department is working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, local government and social care providers to monitor and address the reasons for delayed discharges. Supporting hospital flow and reducing delayed discharge is a complex system-wide issue across both health and social care organisations.A new national discharge taskforce has been established to focus on National Health Service and local authority actions required to reduce delayed hospital discharges. In addition, a range of measures will maximise capacity across acute and community settings to enable people to be discharged safely and quickly and support people in their own homes where possible. This includes making full use of non-acute beds in local health and care systems and making use of personal health budgets, hotel beds and spare beds in hospices.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that those people who had their covid-19 vaccinations overseas can add their proof of vaccination onto the NHS Covid-19 App.

Maggie Throup: Since 9 December, individuals residing in England who have received a vaccine approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency administered overseas can record their vaccination on the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS). Those individuals are now able to book a face-to-face appointment at a specific vaccination centre to verify and record these doses in NIMS, which will then be displayed in the NHS COVID Pass.The NHS COVID-19 App is primarily a contact tracing app. App users are anonymous so it cannot be used as proof of vaccination status. The NHS App provides access to a range of services including the NHS COVID Pass.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to ensure long term monitoring of the immunity of people vaccinated with a covid-19 booster vaccine.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure long term immune monitoring of people vaccinated with a covid-19 booster vaccine.

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure that there is long-term monitoring of the immune response of people given a covid-19 booster vaccine.

Maggie Throup: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continuously monitors vaccine effectiveness over time. These analyses will continue as the booster programme deployment progresses, including the duration of protection of booster doses against a range of disease outcomes and will be published in due course.The UKHSA observed limited waning in vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation and death more than 20 weeks post-vaccination with Vaxzevria (previously AstraZeneca) or Comirnaty (previously Pfizer) with the Delta variant. Early data suggest vaccine effectiveness is lower against the Omicron variant. However, high levels of protection against symptomatic disease were seen shortly after a booster dose. Further evidence is needed to understand the effect of the Omicron variant on duration of protection and vaccine effectiveness against severe disease.The primary objective of the booster programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalisation and deaths, over winter 2021/22. This is exceptional advice aimed at maintaining protection in those most vulnerable and to protect the National Health Service.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase take-up of the covid-19 booster vaccine amongst care home residents.

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when all remaining eligible care home residents will have been invited to receive their covid-19 booster vaccine.

Maggie Throup: All care home residents are eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccination at three months since their second dose was administered. Booster doses have been delivered at over 99% of older adult care homes in England. Roving vaccination teams will continue to visit care homes to deliver additional doses required. Where there are care homes currently experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, booked visits by vaccination teams will take place when it is safe for all to do so.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the length of time that restrictions introduced on 30 November 2021 requiring face coverings to be worn on public transport and in shops will remain in place.

Maggie Throup: On 30 November new regulations requiring face coverings to be worn in shops and on public transport were put in force until 22 December. However, as the scale of the challenge presented by Omicron became clearer, the Department acted, both broadening the scope of these regulation and extending their life to 26 Jan 2022. The Department is keeping all aspects of its response to the pandemic under review, including the latest response in the light of Omicron.

Coronavirus: Quarantine

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to make people in the UK who have been double vaccinated against covid-19 in non-UK jurisdictions exempt from self-isolation requirements in the event that they are notified to isolate by the NHS covid-19 app.

Maggie Throup: From 1 December, close contacts who have been fully vaccinated in a non-United Kingdom country will no longer be advised to self-isolate, provided their vaccination is on the World Health Oorganization’s Emergency Use Listing and was administered in one of the countries included in the UK’s travel policy for those who are fully vaccinated. However, as with any other close contact, they will be advised to take a polymerase chain reaction test and to consider other precautions to help minimise the risk of onward transmission.

Travel: Coronavirus

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2021 to Question 78343 on Travel: Coronavirus, what recent progress has been made on enabling 12 to 15 year olds to prove their double covid-19 vaccinated status for the purpose of travel overseas.

Maggie Throup: Children aged 12 to 15 years old in England who have had a full course of COVID-19 vaccination are now eligible for a NHS COVID Pass letter for travel. Proof of vaccination will initially be provided via a letter including an internationally recognised barcode. A digital solution via NHS.uk is to be rolled out early next year.

Coronavirus: Quarantine

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations he has received on the requirement for people who have been vaccinated against covid-19 outside the UK with a MHRA approved vaccine to quarantine for ten days in the event that they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace following contact with a positive covid-19 case in the UK.

Maggie Throup: We have received eight Written Questions and one Oral Question on this topic from Parliamentarians. Information on the specific number of representations received by the Department’s central correspondence team could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Dentistry: Staff

Ed Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) practising dentists and (b) practising NHS dentists there were in England (i) in total, (ii) by NHS regional area, (iii) by NHS local area and (iv) by Parliamentary constituency, in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: The information requested is available for practising National Health Service dentists. A table showing the number of dentists undertaking NHS activity in England, NHS Region and clinical commissioning group in each of the last 10 years is attached. Data is not available by Parliamentary constituency.Dentist Numbers Table (xlsx, 28.0KB)

Blood: Contamination

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to encourage people who received a blood transfusion on the NHS prior to September 1991 to undertake (a) hepatitis C and (b) other blood-borne virus testing.

Maria Caulfield: In England, guidance recommends offering a hepatitis C (HCV) test to patients who received a blood transfusion in the United Kingdom before 1991. In addition, a variety of initiatives and resources have been developed to support healthcare providers, commissioners and others to improve the identification of cases and testing in both the general population and among high-risk groups.HIV testing was encouraged for those who received blood prior to 1985. All individuals who acquired HIV through blood transfusion prior to 1991 have been diagnosed. Screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been in place since 1972. The risk of acquiring HBV between 1972 and 1991 is extremely small.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that all people who require vital health care support during the roll out of the covid-19 booster vaccination receive that support.

Maria Caulfield: We have provided £2 billion this year and a further £8 billion across the following three years to increase activity and tackle backlogs in elective care. The National Health Service will maintain services wherever possible, particularly for urgent and cancer care.General practitioners (GPs) have been asked to prioritise vaccinations and emergency care. However, patients are encouraged to contact their GP with concerns about their health, particularly for suspected cancer symptoms.

Protective Clothing: Coronavirus

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many shipping containers the Government or its agents have rented for the storage of unused personal protective equipment since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

Edward Argar: The Department has rented 9,512 containers since the start of the pandemic.

Coronavirus: Screening

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of effect of the change in uptake of free lateral flow tests in England since the introduction of collect codes to pick up tests from pharmacies.

Maggie Throup: We are monitoring the impact of this change with a view to making an assessment in the new year, allowing us to take into account the impact of the Omicron variant.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to monitor the progress of the covid-19 vaccination programme for people who are housebound.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the waiting times for people who are housebound to receive their (a) first, (b) second and (c) booster covid-19 vaccine dose.

Maggie Throup: For patients who are housebound, ‘Standard Operating Procedure: Roving and mobile models’ has been provided to local health teams to support their operations, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2021/06/C1432-Standard-Operating-Procedure-Roving-and-mobile-models-v2.pdfNational Health Service regions, Primary Care Networks and community pharmacy-led local vaccination services are monitoring progress and identifying whether further interventions are required for those who are housebound. As set out in the SOP, it is advised that the monitoring of the vaccination programme draws on sources of information to maximise the effectiveness of roving and mobile models to increase vaccination uptake among people who may experience barriers to accessing health services.

Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer Question 65517, tabled by the hon. Member for St. Albans on 28 October 2021.

Edward Argar: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question 65517.

NHS: Uniforms

Robert Largan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many uniforms have been in use in each NHS trust in each of the last five years; what the total cost of uniforms was to (a) the NHS and (b) each NHS trust in each of the last five years; and how many different types of uniforms have been used in (a) the NHS and (b) each NHS trust in each of the last five years.

Edward Argar: The information requested is not collected centrally.Uniforms are workwear and are typically purchased directly by trusts who contract with a number of different suppliers. NHS Supply Chain and NHS England and NHS Improvement are developing a project to adopt a national approach to standardising the purchase of uniforms.

Neuromuscular Disorders: Health Services

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle unwarranted variation in (a) treatment of, (b) care and (c) support for people with neurological conditions.

Gillian Keegan: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops evidence-based guidance for healthcare professionals on best practice in the health and care system, supporting improved patient outcomes and reducing variation. NICE has produced a range of guidance on neurological conditions which clinicians and commissioners are expected to take into account.The National Neurosciences Advisory Group (NNAG) is developing optimum clinical pathways for people with neurological conditions. The pathways will support the improvement of treatment, care and support services, setting out aspirations for good care and commissioning of neurological services locally and nationally.The NNAG has worked with NHS RightCare to publish two toolkits, specifically on progressive neurological conditions and epilepsy. The toolkits prioritise faster and more accurate diagnoses, collaborative working between different disciplines and an increase in the availability of neuro-rehabilitation, reablement and psychosocial support. New triage processes have been introduced to ensure patients receive the care they need, with more patients now seen in outpatient settings closer to home. In addition, the Department has announced the development of a cross-Government strategy on acquired brain injury. The strategy will be informed by a call for evidence which will invite views on whether other related neurological conditions should also be included.

Neurology

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to work with neurological charities and patients to restore and improve neurology services.

Gillian Keegan: The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement work with the National Neurosciences Advisory Group (NNAG), a neurological collaborative group of professional bodies, patient groups and national and local policy and commissioning leads, to design and deliver plans to improve neurological care. This includes the Neurological Alliance which is comprised of 70 charity partners.The NNAG has engaged with patients, patient groups and charities, clinicians, expert bodies, and commissioners in order to address the challenges faced by neurology services. The NNAG has published ‘Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic’, which sets out the pandemic’s impact on neurological care and how the healthcare system can begin to recover services.

Dental Services

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of dental practices in (a) Slough, (b) the South East and (c) England.

Maria Caulfield: The information is not held in the format requested. However, the number of National Health Service dental contracts in 2021/22 in Slough is 27, 1,480 in the South East and 8,268 in England.

Dentistry: South East

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of dentists in (a) Slough and (b) the South East.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the availability of NHS dentists in (a) Slough and (b) the South East.

Maria Caulfield: In 2020/21, there were 4,136 National Health Service dentists in the South East. Data for Slough is not held centrally. No assessment has been made of the availability of NHS dentists in Slough or the South East.

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of equipment provided by Liaoning Zhongqiao Overseas Exchange Co Ltd through the high priority lane for the supply of Personal Protective Equipment for use by NHS and social care staff during the outbreak of covid-19.

Edward Argar: A quality assurance process is in place to ensure the efficacy of equipment provided by all suppliers is determined before it is distributed. Products are only distributed if they meet the relevant standards as set out in the published technical specification for personal protective equipment (PPE) on GOV.UK.All PPE supplied by Liaoning Zhongqiao Overseas Exchange Co Ltd received such quality assurance checks. Of the products received, some are being used with others repurposed for use outside health and care settings. Some items containing latex will be recycled at the appropriate time.

HIV Infection: Health Services

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to people living with HIV who are (a) lost to care and (b) not currently accessing HIV treatment.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made on the potential merits of funding for opt-out HIV testing across the NHS.

Maggie Throup: We set out our plans for increasing HIV testing across the National Health Service in the HIV Action Plan, which was published on 1 December. The HIV Action Plan sets out actions to achieve the interim target of an 80% reduction in transmissions in England by 2025 and our forthcoming plans to improve support available to people who are lost to care and not currently accessing treatment.

Travel: Coronavirus

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to enable international travel for the 12 to 15 age category who are double vaccinated against covid-19.

Maggie Throup: Since 13 December, the travel NHS COVID Pass letter is available for children aged 12 to 15 years old who are fully vaccinated. A digital solution for 12 to 15 year olds to access their NHS Travel COVID Pass is expected in early 2022.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what time period is set for covid-19 booster vaccinations appearing on patients' medical records on the NHS App.

Maggie Throup: If an individual receives a booster dose it will appear on the NHS App, which records all medical interventions. The NHS App is separate to the NHS COVID Pass.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to announce a new seasonal workers scheme for 2022; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including the ornamental horticulture production industry in that scheme.

Victoria Prentis: Defra is working closely with the Home Office to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the food and farming workforce beyond 2021. The Government has announced that the seasonal worker visa route will be extended to 2024 to allow overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. 30,000 visas will be available. This will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 visas if necessary.

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) ornamental horticulture’s contribution to the environment and biodiversity and (b) the potential merits of including that sector in the Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme to support the sector to increase the production of plants and trees.

Victoria Prentis: While no specific assessment has been made of the ornamental horticulture sector’s contribution to the environment and biodiversity, domestic ornamental horticulture production is an important part of the supply chain for green infrastructure. Green infrastructure includes greenspace such as parks and woodlands but also other environmental features such as street trees, hedgerows and green walls and roofs. Defra is considering the latest data and working with the ornamental horticulture production industry to understand labour demand and supply, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements. We will continue to monitor the labour needs of the ornamental horticulture sector and help to ensure that these are met.The Seasonal Workers Pilot was expanded for 2021, from 10,000 to 30,000 visas, for workers to come to the UK for up to six months to pick and package fruit and vegetables on our farms. The Government has announced that the seasonal worker visa route will be extended to 2024 to allow overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. 30,000 visas will be available. This will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 visas if necessary.

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of supply of seasonal workers for ornamental horticulture.

Victoria Prentis: Defra is considering the latest data and working with the ornamental horticulture production industry to understand labour demand and supply, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements. We will continue to monitor the labour needs of the ornamental horticulture sector and to help ensure that these are met.The Government has announced that the seasonal worker visa route will be extended to 2024 to allow overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. 30,000 visas will be available. This will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 visas if necessary.

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Mr Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the seasonal workers visa scheme from six to nine months to include  tree production and other ornamental horticulture workers.

Victoria Prentis: Defra is considering the latest data and working with the ornamental horticulture production industry to understand labour demand and supply, including both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements. We will continue to monitor the labour needs of the ornamental horticulture sector and help to ensure that these are met.The Seasonal Workers Pilot was expanded for 2021, from 10,000 to 30,000 visas, for workers to come to the UK for up to six months to pick and package fruit and vegetables on our farms.The Government has announced that the seasonal worker visa route will be extended to 2024 to allow overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. 30,000 visas will be available. This will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 visas if necessary.